8/15/2024-Writing is the new presenting

Buyers may not notice good writing, but they’ll notice if you’re sloppy and lazy. You’ll land in the middle if you focus your business writing like you’re creating a thesis for an advanced degree.

"Take a look in the prposal get back with ?s – I’m hapy to hellp."

WHAT? (Of course you would never write that.)

You don’t need AI or Grammarly to tell you what you know about how to write emails and proposals because buyers don’t read the former, and they only skim the latter.

So why pay attention to your writing skills?

Well, you’re a professional…so there’s that.

Next, you operate in a world of incrementality. If one person reads your email and responds, it’s a win. And if one person spends five minutes with your proposal, that could mean making your number this year.

Today, assume your 9th-grade high school English teacher is hanging over your shoulder when you’re writing an email.

Seriously, you know the rules to writing: write, edit, write, edit, write, edit …rinse, repeat! It’s no different when it comes to emails and proposals.

Emails and proposals don’t close business, but they can create conversations. And conversations lead to more conversations, etc.

Today, slow down and re-read your notes, proposals, and any sales collateral going out the door. Does your English teacher approve?

The difference between average and good writing is time.

If you put in the time to create drafts, edit your work, and then re-write, you’ll typically create something cogent, smart, and comprehensible.

Email writing requires a blend of casual tone with brevity and a touch of cleverness (if you carry a license for such a thing):

1. Tone: Don’t write as if you’re their best friend, yet don’t write like an attorney, either. And, pick your spots to go for humor…what can you lose? They’re probably not reading it anyway. (Ahhh, but they are, and will read if you connect on the humor thing.)

2. Brevity: Less is more! You’re not paid by the word, so don’t write like it.

3. Cleverness: In limited doses, it goes a long way. The key is to figure out how much and when. This is when a friend’s eye helps you decide.

Proposal writing borrows some of the same themes as what’s needed for effective email writing, mostly the brevity angle. And value…yeah…VALUE is important when creating proposals. The reader shouldn’t have to work hard to understand the benefits they’re going to receive when doing a deal with you.

Watch Adam Benn present a strong case for slowing down and putting extra effort into your writing in his Ted Talk.

Adam states, "We’re writing more than ever…which means you’re going to be read before you’re heard and seen."

Maxing your professional goals means spending time on all facets of your game. Take your writing seriously.

Remember: edit, edit, edit…put it aside, and then edit some more.